7/25/11

Day 11: AtU Read Along Ch. 61-66


So, the lies are starting to come undone and Eldest is clearly losing it.  Let's take a look at chapters 61-66 and see what else we'll find on the ship of lies.

Ch. 61-  Orion finds Amy in the Recorder Hall and confides that he was hiding from Eldest because his very existence is offensive to Eldest.  As Amy makes her way back to the hospital, she runs into Steela being brought to the hospital by her daughter.  Steela thinks that she remembers seeing the stars and hearing the same speech from Eldest when she was pregnant with her daughter.  The nurse declares this to be delusions brought on by old age.  Amy offers to take Steela to the fourth floor.  She stays with Steela when Steela asks her to.

Steela says that she was put on the pills when she was twelve and raised up in the hospital to be an agriculturalist and that it's a shame to see her daughter turn into "one of them".  What do you think this means?

Ch. 62- Elder learns that there never was a plague.  Eldest also shows Elder the engine room for the first time and tells him that they are not 25 years behind schedule but 250.  The engine is not running the way it was supposed to.

What do you think caused the deaths if there was no plague?

How would you deal with the engine problem?

Ch. 63- Amy goes with Steela up to the locked fourth floor.  She forces Doc to turn away when her asks Steela to change into the provided hospital gown.  Doc puts in IVs without examining her and Amy knows something is wrong.  All of the people in the beds are staring blankly ahead as Steela does after her IV is inserted.  Amy attacks Doc as she realizes what is happening.

Amy says that Doc doesn't see the patients as people because he has been in doctor mode for too long.  Do you agree with her or do you think there is another reason that he doesn't see the people as people with feelings and rights?


Ch. 64- Elder and Eldest return to the learning center.  Eldest tells Elder about how the current system life on the ship came to be.  Eldest also admits to putting things other than vitamins and hormones in the water.  Phydus is a drug that the Eldests have used for years to keep control on the ship.  Elder is angry as he begins to piece the rest of the truths that have been kept from him.  Eldest tries to convince Elder that he is right and that this is the only way that the ship can exist peacefully.

Why do you think Eldest feels that he has to share the truth with Elder now?


Ch.65- Doc tells Amy that he wants her to see what happens to the grays.  He tells her that he agrees with Eldest that Phydus allows the ship to exist in peace.  Doc also tells her that Eldest is very dangerous and that if he finds her a nuisance, he'll have Doc put her to sleep.

Amy wonders if Doc cares at all for his patients.  What do you think?

There is no doctor in training in Harley's Gen.  Why do you think Doc has not "made" a replacement for himself?

Ch. 66- Elder goes to see Amy and finds her sobbing on her bed.  He breaks the understood rule against entering someone's private space without permission because he's so worried about Amy.  When she sees him, Amy launches herself at him for comfort.  Holding Amy causes Elder to realize that he doesn't really agree with Eldest.  He also looks down at Amy all red eyed and runny nosed and finds her to be beautiful.  Elder tells Amy about what he has learned from Eldest and Amy tells him about her trip to the fourth floor.  Amy breaks and Elder gives her the strength to keep searching for the solution to the mystery with the frozens.  Elder leaves her to rest while he goes to watch over her parents.

Who do you think has the better grasp on what it means to be a leader- Elder or Eldest?

What do you think of Amy and Elder's relationship in this chapter?

Well, we're nearing the end everyone!  I'll see you back here on Wednesday to cover chapters 67-74.  Things are reaching a breaking point on the Godspeed!

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7 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Chapter 61
Her daughter seems to have no mind of her own, EMPTY as her mother called her. No thoughts, just lives everyday in order. Its like the pills help the crazies to stay normal ? and * her daughter one of them * seems to be brain dead - void of emotions.

Chapter 62

Maybe the reactor from the ship leaked ?Its why its slowed down ? Or they killed off the people to make room for the new population since the ship is so far behind, if the ship continued to grow , they would have been over run ? Over crowded ?
Engine problem - I wouldnt be able to deal with it mentally knowing I was never to set foot down for 250 years. Angry - as far as dealing it with, Id be finding a way to make the uranium work how it spose to.

chapter 63

Its like he is also in feeder mode except that he is aware. He is just doing his job somewhat mechanical of him. I think he has dealt with so many brain washed - simple people he does forgot that some of them are human and feel.

Maybe he is not seeing them as people as he has shut down his feelings after all this time surely it will either drive you crazy like the feeders or shut down your emotions to deal with it.. I think this is what he is doing. I think he thinks they where all created for a reason to keep the ship running and it time they all expire ?

chapter 64

So that Elder can understand his duty to his people to keep life simple, have it functioning the way it is, withut it something like the plague will happen again and this time they may not survive. Maybe Eldest time is coming.. Its time to prepare Elder to take over and be a leader for the reasons he is outlining. Eldest explains to Elder what happens without the drugs , the dna and the lies. Mabye he will think about it to.

Chapter 65

I think the Dcctor cares enough to them have their last peaceful breathes. Its not a cruel death, if he didnt care it would be worse. He would have to care, but he also realizes that this must be done to allow the ship to function peacefully. I think the Doctor thinks maybe he ship wont last that long ? So he hasnt made a replacement.

Chapter 66

Elder seems to be more concerned at being strong for everyone. He thinks a leader is one who gives his strength to others so they may have the strength to stand on their own.
They both realize they only have each other, she trusts him completley and he shows he cares that she is upset. THey both have faith in each other to do the right thing and find out who is killing the frozens. I think this is a big step for them realzing whats being going on and really are two of the most sane people on the ship.



Well I was right about a drug in the water but had no idea to the extent. All the lies are definelty surfacing, and Amy and Elder are getting closer. A big sad so long to go before the ship lands? i wander if this to is a lie ?

kat
kittee_cat@bigpond.com

Michele said...

Ch61:

Steela is talking about her daughter being a feeder...No mind to think for herself, no emotions...just does what she is told day in a day out. What a horrible life that must be...

ch62: I think there was panic on the ship. not arriving on schedule and what that means for the ship...also being cooped up in such a small space, would about drive any person nuts

CH63: i think he honestly feels that he's doing the right thing for the populations of the ship. They are reusing all their resourses that they have to survive.

ch64: I think he's old and tired...and he finally knows that the end is about to come for him.

ch65: I don't really think he cares..I think he's just in a routine mode.

huh, I don't know why there's not a Doc in the next Gen...is that mentioned in the book? If it is, i totally can't remember!!

I think Elder because he has compassion

Sophie said...

61. Steela knows the truth about how Eldest runs the ship--and doesn't like it at all. She is unhappy that her daughter has turned into an unfeeling, empty feeder.

62. Not saying...but if I knew of the engine problem, I would probably have all of the people who weren't feeders working on it. I'd also tell the feeders EXACTLY what's going on--it's not right to lie to them.

63. I agree with her. I think he's been "brainwashed" to the point where he is just barely more conscious than the feeders. He has the knowledge of a doctor, but genuinely thinks he is doing what's best for the people.

64. I agree with Michelle--Eldest is getting old, and Elder needs to know everything to ensure that life on the Godspeed continues.

65. I don't think he physically understands what he's doing. I think he's just going through the motions. Maybe Doc thinks he'll last longer than the others--or that the ship won't last much longer than his death.

66. Although Eldest runs a neat, productive ship, Elder knows that a true leader should tell the people the truth. He has compassion for the people, and treats them better than Eldest does. I absolutely agree with Kat!
I think Amy truly is thankful for Elder being there and helping her. And she's thankful that there is someone else on the ship who has the same views as her and will act on those views.

Melissa/welachild said...

When Stella says she had seen the stars before, I thought that the ship had been circling centauri earth for a long time already and Eldest was putting off landing because he didn't want to lose his power. I was shocked to learn they are 250 years behind schedule! That sucks!
I knew they were putting down old people but that chapter was so sad. I don't agree with Doc at all. I think it's really reckless to only have one Doc but I get it. If he tells anyone else what's really going on, they'd probably freak.
I'm worried that deep down inside Elder agrees with the use of Phydus.
I like how tender Elder is with Amy

Litza said...

Ch 61 - One of the mindless drones... & it would be awful to have to watch that.

Ch 62 - I know the answer to the first question, so I'll address the second. I think I would be shattered. Not only would I never get to see Centauri-Earth, my great-great-grandchildren wouldn't either. It would be a terrible blow & seriously depressing.

Ch 63 - I think that's a pretty good assumption. Doc has been under Eldests thumb for so long & he's probably been brainwashed too. Who knows?! But, given how the feeders act, it's not surprising that Doc doesn't see them as people with feelings... because they really don't feel anything. It's so twilight zone.

Ch 64 - Everything is falling apart, so why not? Also, Elder will be ruling soon, so he needs to know what the heck is going on. I'm sure Eldest is tired... keeping so many secrets and lies wears on a person after so long.

Ch 65 - I don't know if he cares about his patients, to tell the truth. He's so... jaded. I'd like to think that one reason Doc hasn't chosen a replacement is because he doesn't want anybody else to have to live with such horrid lies & whatnot. However, I really don't hold out much hope that Doc cares that much about others.

Ch 66 - I definitely think Elder does. He's realizing what a true leader is &, though he's not completely sure what it takes, he wants to try to be a good leader. I think the fact that he's willing to learn is a good sign that he's going to be a good leader. He can't be any worse than Eldest, right?

I think it's obvious that they care for eachother & rely on one another for support and help. I like how Elder, though Amy was freaking out & he wasn't doing any better, took the initiative to be strong and reassuring. Good guy.

IdentitySeeker said...

C61: Sheela is obviously one of the so-called “crazies” who are actually the few people on board with their thinking faculties intact. When she refers to “one of them”, she’s obviously referring to the Feeders who unquestionably and passively accept whatever’s thrown their way, going through life with an eerie calmness.

C62: I think that the plague may have been a spate of deaths and suicides brought on by people’s increasing frustrations at never landing and seeing the outside world.
I probably would have told the people of the problem and kept them all with their thinking faculties intact so that we could use those with natural talent to come up with solutions for the engine’s problem. Keeping people in the dark is not the way to go.

C63: It is possible that she’s right; however, being a possible accomplice to Eldest in his scheme to manipulate these people, he probably knows a lot more about them than Amy does and, for that reason, may not view them as being human. It doesn’t help that they act like passive pets.

C64: Maybe Eldest fears losing Elder completely to Amy’s way of thinking and that Elder knows too much already, so before he finds out anymore, Eldest feels he should come clean and tell Elder what he’ll need to know once he becomes Eldest of the ship.

C65: I think that years of following through with Eldest’s orders and manipulating peoples’ lives have served to desensitise Doc to the feelings, needs and rights of the people he treats.
I have wondered about why Doc hasn’t made another Doc for Harley’s generation, but I think that it could be because he’s afraid of how that person may react to what he’s being taught to do. The new ‘replacement’ Doc would probably not agree to the misuse of medication to manipulate people and could even ruin all Doc’s hard work and expose the truth to the people.

C66: I think that Elder has a better idea of how to be an Eldest, as his way of thinking allows for people to take ownership and responsibility for their own lives and to live free, fulfilling and complete lives.
Amy and Elder’s relationship is developing into a more intimate and trusting one and it is obvious that they are both coming to rely on each other emotionally.